Swollen Vestibule or Vaginismus?

Posted on January 24, 2017

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The female genitals give rise to different conditions that are expressed by pain, burning, and the feeling of being ‘swollen down there.’ Vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis, and vaginismus are most certainly in this mix.

Generally speaking,

Vulvodynia refers to symptoms in the vulva, which is the area of the female genitalia when one separates the outer lips (labia majora);

Vulvar vestibulitis refers to symptoms in the vestibule, which is the small area surrounding the vaginal opening;

Vaginismus is the inability to have vaginal penetration/s, or the severe duress she experiences when having vaginal penetration/s.

Women with vulvudynia or vulvar vestibulitis often feel they have a swollen vestibule yet they can have vaginal penetration/s. However, the associated pain/burning/discomfort complicate matters, making them avoid any contact or penetration. Such reluctance will easily escalate – due to a psychosomatic reaction – to becoming vaginismus.

It is common to group vaginismus, vulvodynia, and vulvar vestibulitis into one and it takes a proficient clinician to know the difference.